Panda Express

Fast and easy but the taste is lacking. The staff here is very friendly and the facilities are clean.

+6

Welcoming environment with very friendly staff workers. The food tasted, filling, warm, and smelled delicious. The seats are nice and comfortable. But when I came there was still some food scattered along the table whoch was kind of disgusting. Bathrooms are clean. Definitely recommend this place!

+2

I don't understand businesses new motto of asking you can they round up your change so they can give you green money back! This happened to me the other day over at this location when my bill was $14.06 the worker asked me if he could round it up I said what do you mean round it up don't you mean round it down? They then came up with the excuse of the donation is for the children. I don't care who the donations for because ain't nobody getting no donation from me unless I want to give it up. So watch out people businesses are trying to get richer off of you !!! Another notorious place is McDonald's for trying this.

Chinese America food, so if you are looking for authenticity, this is not it. But it is made for the American pallet. Generally cheaper than real sit restaurants so it is good for a quick bite. Although the parking lot is huge, getting in and out can be problematic because of yhe traffic at this location.

My food was good. I got the last Walnut Shrimp, so it was a little stale, but it tasted good. Service was quick at 7 PM. Minus one star because I didn't receive a fortune cookie.

Not bad the food is what you would expect from any panda express I have no concerns about the food, but the service is really slow sometimes especially during lunch and dinner. I had to wait over 40 minutes after placing my online order to get.

Customer service was great the manager I believe was very helpful and on point with getting there line down. However the chef that was there cooking in the back Idk if he has been there or just taking over the food sucked. When I go to pandas anywhere there should be a consistent product like in-n-out.

I’ve gone here three times and during the middle of the day - so not closing time - so I don’t understand why food is always out and you have to wait up to 20 minutes for chicken teriyaki. Each time. The manager needs to learn how to time the cooking because it’s clear he/she/they/it is failing. Other pandas may have bad customer service but not having food ready is even worse!!! UPDATE - today I went earlier around 12:30ish and the crew was great, the manager was serving and they were out of veggies when it was my turn. She immediately cooked some herself and was ready in less than 5 mins. And the cashier was very prompt and friendly. Changed stars to 4!

Kai Gamer

Welcoming environment with very friendly staff workers. The food tasted, filling, warm, and smelled delicious. The seats are nice and comfortable. But when I came there was still some food scattered along the table whoch was kind of disgusting. Bathrooms are clean. Definitely recommend this place!

Wil Michael

Fast and easy but the taste is lacking. The staff here is very friendly and the facilities are clean.

Beach Town Traveler

My food was good. I got the last Walnut Shrimp, so it was a little stale, but it tasted good. Service was quick at 7 PM. Minus one star because I didn't receive a fortune cookie.

William Liu

Not bad the food is what you would expect from any panda express I have no concerns about the food, but the service is really slow sometimes especially during lunch and dinner. I had to wait over 40 minutes after placing my online order to get.

Here's a tip: Focus on the customer in front of you. Food was ok, normal Panda Express. But chinzy portion sizes and disinterested - almost rude - staff means I won't be coming back and NO, I do not recommend this location. 2-3pm rainy Saturday afternoon. You'd think it would be quiet. But like me, perhaps there were other people wanting to get out of the house/hotel and made a trip - specifically - to get some Panda. The dining area was about 1/4 full, a constant line of 2-3 customers. So, the 3 people working were busy, but not slammed at all. Tip #2: Even though I seem to order pretty much the same thing as the previous two people in line.. I am not them. And don't get me started on the cashier - who clearly needs to not only work on her ESL skills, but stop mumbliing so loud the customer can hear, but not loud (or clearly enough) to completely understand. And if a customer asks for some sauces - in my case I asked for 5, because... I use 5 of each to go with all of the items I order - don't just grab a couple, dump them in the bag and walk away. So now I had sauce for SOME of my chicken, ONE of my spring rolls, but none for the rest or for my 3rd side of Orange chicken. Finally. I have NEVER been dismissed so thoroughly or casually in my life! Not even at any of the DMV's I've visited over the years. And no fortune cookie? Who doesn't get a fortune cookie??? Apparently the people who want extra sauces and who says "No" after asking you to repeat the mumbled "Do you want to support ~mumble, mumble~ cause?" don't get a cookie. No, I won't be returning here. No, I don't recommend.

Foods good, great staff, I can't tell if they are unaware or completely listening, messed up the order completely. first, asked for a bigger plate, gave them the code for the bigger plate to normal plate. then when I did, they gave me an added amount of 6.99 for an entree because they messed up and put my bigger plate as a plate. even tho I gave them the code. I realized the entree they gave me was the mini one, only white male there messed up three times then they gave me an extra mini entrees to cover it but the fact that they messed up makes me realize mayyy have to explain in depth more for. but all I could think was how did they mess up that much for a simple order! Either way 3 star for the hassle and over payment but also good on them for trying to fix it even tho three times atleast it was resolved XD I explained 3 times over and over. But after being fixed in some way not to satisfaction. Still happy that I got extra food 😋

food will always be good, can’t really mess that up but ordering online 15 mins before my work lunch and still having to wait 45 mins for one entree is crazy, even when i got a text saying my food was ready the person greeting me called for my entree when i got there, the kitchen is ahhh

Iama Techie

Here's a tip: Focus on the customer in front of you. Food was ok, normal Panda Express. But chinzy portion sizes and disinterested - almost rude - staff means I won't be coming back and NO, I do not recommend this location. 2-3pm rainy Saturday afternoon. You'd think it would be quiet. But like me, perhaps there were other people wanting to get out of the house/hotel and made a trip - specifically - to get some Panda. The dining area was about 1/4 full, a constant line of 2-3 customers. So, the 3 people working were busy, but not slammed at all. Tip #2: Even though I seem to order pretty much the same thing as the previous two people in line.. I am not them. And don't get me started on the cashier - who clearly needs to not only work on her ESL skills, but stop mumbliing so loud the customer can hear, but not loud (or clearly enough) to completely understand. And if a customer asks for some sauces - in my case I asked for 5, because... I use 5 of each to go with all of the items I order - don't just grab a couple, dump them in the bag and walk away. So now I had sauce for SOME of my chicken, ONE of my spring rolls, but none for the rest or for my 3rd side of Orange chicken. Finally. I have NEVER been dismissed so thoroughly or casually in my life! Not even at any of the DMV's I've visited over the years. And no fortune cookie? Who doesn't get a fortune cookie??? Apparently the people who want extra sauces and who says "No" after asking you to repeat the mumbled "Do you want to support ~mumble, mumble~ cause?" don't get a cookie. No, I won't be returning here. No, I don't recommend.

nick morgan

Foods good, great staff, I can't tell if they are unaware or completely listening, messed up the order completely. first, asked for a bigger plate, gave them the code for the bigger plate to normal plate. then when I did, they gave me an added amount of 6.99 for an entree because they messed up and put my bigger plate as a plate. even tho I gave them the code. I realized the entree they gave me was the mini one, only white male there messed up three times then they gave me an extra mini entrees to cover it but the fact that they messed up makes me realize mayyy have to explain in depth more for. but all I could think was how did they mess up that much for a simple order! Either way 3 star for the hassle and over payment but also good on them for trying to fix it even tho three times atleast it was resolved XD I explained 3 times over and over. But after being fixed in some way not to satisfaction. Still happy that I got extra food 😋

We were 7 people, I brought my friends to show how good panda express is.. but ,Food was not fresh I bought an orange chicken and chow mein box in orange chicken. You can’t see chicken. it was all coating. You can find chicken in it and the customer services. It was not nice at all. They seem rude and not friendly. So disappointed. I don’t think that my friend ever go back …

The elder lady that works there in the mid mornings most days was so rude. I don't know what I did to make her treat me in such a way because she was nice to everyone else. My coworkers got thier food and were already done eating by the time she got my order. I asked for soy sauce and she tossed two packets at me. Chill lady what did I do to you?

This Panda Express needs a face lift. Staff was ok but not professional. One side dish of my order was not finished and I had to wait for 10 mins. That was wouldn’t have bothered me but the rest of the food in the box was just sitting in there for 10 mins getting cold, I did not feel well for hours after having that meal.

Chinches on portions!!! 41st ave is way better!!! I got my food Togo and had to go back in to complain about 3 pieces of orange chicken on my combo plate. I won't return. 41st ave location gives you so much more

The food tastes as it should but the portions are so small compared to any other Panda Express. I don’t understand why they’re so light. Got broccoli beef and had 3 quarter sized pieces of meat and it’s just unusual. Hopefully they see this and stop being stingy

Maybe 41st is better now? Ordered thru the app for the first time. Disappointed at the lack of attention. No sauces, utensils or napkins as requested. Even ignored me while waiting. The floor design is terrible, no space for waiting for pickup orders, paper straws are on the wrong side of the soda machine for flow. Now for the food. Noodles were obviously burnt, and only 2 shreds of beef were in my broccoli. Plenty of orange chicken tho. This place needs people who care about retaining customers.

Meethi

We were 7 people, I brought my friends to show how good panda express is.. but ,Food was not fresh I bought an orange chicken and chow mein box in orange chicken. You can’t see chicken. it was all coating. You can find chicken in it and the customer services. It was not nice at all. They seem rude and not friendly. So disappointed. I don’t think that my friend ever go back …

Average Panda express but when i ordered to go. THEY GAVE ME A CARD BOARD FORK. Not even plastic. I didn't know that cardboard made things taste this bad.

The girl at the counter last night copped a major attitude, after I declined donating. This is a major scam! The money goes to their own charity, Panda Cares. No mention of St. Jude's on Panda Express website. It ruined my dinner with the person I was spending time with. And has always bothered me since I first went to Panda. It's unacceptable to be treated so rudely!

I came thousands of miles away to visit California, and Santa Cruz was a stop along the way. I was quite hungry, so I decided to stop at the Panda Express on Mission Street in Santa Cruz, California. A worker there decided to be rude (her name I cannot recall at the moment) and Jacob, another employee was exceptionally dismissive and forgetful with orders. Jacob in specific would constantly be going back and forth, checking the other customers boxes, and then preceded to check the same boxes of food again 3-5 times over... I have seen countless reviews for this specific Panda Express exclaiming the same situations: rude employees and terrible service (not to mention the burnt food: the fried rice and cream cheese rangoons I received today). As the cherry on top, if you will, the servings they provided are strangely low. How is a grown person supposed to get their fill when the employees give so little food? Anyways, TLDR: please consider (and reconsider) your food options for trips and residents of California when you think of the Mission St., Santa Cruz Panda Express. Edit: Another female employee, as my partner recalled, was playing with her nose before going back to cooking. She didn't even bother applying Germ X or soap. Cannot have had a better experience 🙃.

Richard was a very rude guy. Horrible experience

Completely disgusting!! The chow main was super dry, the white rice was so hard I thought I was chewing on rocks, I had to spit it out before I hurt my teeth. In the mix was a hair that I ended up putting in my mouth and almost choking, nearly gaging it out. I feel sick to my stomach. The worst panda express from all panda express restrictions I have tried. Last time I had this place was more than a year! I got food poisoning to an extreme, and usually I never do from most restaurants. BEWARE!!! WORST EVER.... Dangerous to eat, and taste horrible. I had gone a year before, came back thinking they had improved... big mistake. Go to any other panda or anywhere else for food.

The chowmein & fries rice were very dry . Everything else was too sweet. Wven the Kung pao chicken was sweet. Other panda spots are definitely providing better food. This spot has to step up!

There is an incredibly rude older manager who displays horridly bad customer service and is terribly rude. Usually great but he eats them another 1 star

Hours show they open at 930am its now 9:45 been at the front door since 930 and cooks and workers just look at me while im trying to open the door and there closed!! Why dont you change the hours it actually opens. Tried opening door again and cook just looked at me and with both hands shows me 10 quessing they kpen at 10 and not 930 like the hours show on here.. very disappointed

One of the worst Panda Expresses you can go too.. unfortunately they don’t inform you about anything, it took my fiancé and I almost 30 minutes to get one bowl and one kids meal..... I have also personally received food poisoning from this restaurant because of the food being left out at room temperature for hours.. The attitude of the employees is also very unprofessional and RUDE. I do not recommend coming here at all.

I’ve ordered at this location several times because it’s convenient. Each time, somehow I expect a different result. I always order through the app for pick up and have to wait 20 to 30 minutes to receive my food. Those waiting in line in the store receive their food before I do. The quality of the food is never fresh. The staff, especially the manager, have no interpersonal skills nor any training in customer relations. They are extremely discourteous and short tempered because of the lines and the wait to pick up order. Each time, I’ve had a negative experience with the manager who is quite prejudiced.

I went to this location for just lunch during evening on june 18th. I told the worker i wanted two of the same plates. He also didn’t just forget the second plate but he even got the order wrong misplacing teriyaki chicken with orange chicken. He charged us for two peach lychee juice but he forgot to put the drinks. I got the drinks after I went back again and asked for it but the drink was really watery with very minimal flavors of peach and lychee i just felt like i was drinking flavored water. I recommend the panda express team to do some regular inspection in the drink and food recipes as the food were also not that good and focus more on customer service. And why is there only one employee attending the customer while there are several employees right there pretending to ignore the customer and trying to avoid eye contact.

Richard is so rude talks down to everyone no customer service at all he should be fired i have been going for years and he's the same way every time will be calling corporate

Took a look time to take order. It’s supposed to be fast food. I should not wait for 10 minutes while only few guests are present in the restaurant. Food was made also long time back. Lost all flavor and taste. Go to regular Chinese restaurant while you can wait for 10 minutes and will receive a decent food.

The old white dude who charged up my order at 6pm on 2/22/25 was rude and gave horrible customer service. He told me there was no sauce even though I saw him give sauce to other customers. He giggled while pretending he couldn’t hear me because I wore a mask. He refused to bag my to-go order and refused to give fortune cookies for my order.

Disappointed with how they treat customers. The staff, especially the manager, have no interpersonal skills nor any training in customer relations. Unlike the panda express in soquel and watsonville they have a nice service and there nice and friendly

HORRIBLE. Ordered a plate with a small side of firecracker shrimp so that I could use my membership reward to get the firecracker shrimp free. They put a tiny bit of firecracker shrimp into the plate and grabbed a pre-portioned side of one of the other entrees. Who knows how long that’s been sitting there??? Go to pay and the system wouldn’t take my membership. They argue, then get the firecracker shrimp off. I go to pay, it’s processing for about 1 minute & the cashier starts trying to cancel it. It won’t cancel. They start trying to make me pay on the other cash register. That cashier started arguing and throwing a fit about the firecracker shrimp coming off even though I have the reward. Then she rounded it up without clearly asking me. My phone notified me that the first transaction went through & I showed them. They argued with me telling me I still had to pay and that I’d get refunded for the first one. EXCUSE you??? I’m not allowing your clown show to charge me twice and waiting a week for my refund. Get your store in order and your employees trained.

I am upset with these folks. I have eaten here many times over the years and never had a problem, but I did today. I ordered iced tea to go with my meal. At the drink stand, the tea was obviously just water. An employee was standing there cleaning up. I told and showed him the problem. He said he would tell "them" and it would soon be fixed. My wife and I ate our meals. When we had finished and there was still no tea, I went to the register and asked for my money back for the tea. That simple request had to be kicked up to a supervisor. The supervisor was highly suspicious. I showed her that water was coming from the tea urn. She then checked the paper cup to make sure we had not substituted another beverage. After all that, she still refused to give us a refund. She offered me a bottled orange juice, which was not of much utility after the meal. I took it, being certain I would get no other satisfaction. Turned out the oj actually cost less than the tea. I felt both cheated and insulted. It would have been so easy and so appropriate just to refund the money I had paid for a product I did not receive. The true character of a business only shows up when something unexpected goes wrong. This particular Panda Express and its supervisor could easily have done the right thing but chose not to. Shame on them.

Basically I made the mistake of going there right at closing. What they gave me was a plate full of warmed over inedible food. They were basically out of food so I took what I can get. The chicken was so hard maybe a dog would eat it but that's about it. The mushroom chicken was basically flavorless goo.

Poor Service, Food is not worth the cost, and price gauging is certain. A customer before me checked his receipt and found an up charge and there is no legal purpose for it or justified reason. I, too, was cautious and checked my receipt and found alarming up charge as well. Beware of this location.

I gave this location multiple chances. The food wasn’t fresh almost every time. Just go to the Panda Express at Capitola.

Top 10 worst food I have ever bought in my life. Teriyaki chicken was disgusting and rubbery. Got served the bottom of 2 bowls and got minimal chicken. Do not go here if you have a choice.

The foods good, like any other Panda Express, but the service is horrible. I've been in line with 3 people in front of me and it took 20 minutes until I was finally able to order. Once I ordered the cashier didn't listen and didn't charge me correctly and I just left not wanting to deal with them again. This was not an individual instance either, I've been here multiple times with short lines but it takes forever. The organization of the workers and their ability to efficiently cook and serve are just not good. Edit: I gave them another chance and ordered online but they neglected to give me teriyaki chicken, they just gave the chicken and no sauce.

Restaurant encourages you to “skip the line” by ordering on mobile, which I did. I arrived and waited for 20 minutes after the estimate “pickup time”. Tried to step up to ask for my order and was just ignored. Proceeded to receive cold food that was missing an entire entree. I try to give the benefit of the doubt to places like this, especially considering how busy it is, but this was ridiculous. Do yourself a favor and go to the Chinese food places that actually care. I never leave reviews and this was infuriating enough to warrant one.

After taking a super long time to make my order, which I can understand since it was busy, they forgot parts of my order. I of course didn't realize this until I drove all the way home and was missing my food. When I got back to the store I asked if I could get a free egg role or something since at this point I had waited for my order for about an hour and I had spent about 40 minutes driving back and fourth for my food. They of course didn't give me a free egg roll and just left me with a hungry stomach and an empty tank of gas.

Well, I was expecting streamlined delicious meal at panda express, orange chicken, rice, beef, and broccoli. The worms when I showed up to the panda express on Mission Street in Santa Cruz, I was completely let down. The first thing that I noticed when I walked in the door, but the fact that there is nearly no food options available now well, it was close to closing, I still found quite a new frustrating when the employee insisted that my friend Haider got white rice, Cardoso but things got much sisters I pay for something in the restaurant I expect to particulars I expect to come as it was 10 however when I was at this panda express, that was not the case. When I ordered a bigger place to come through on a long one side, I was not serve the proper precautions I was charged more than I Drugs employee one question about why he didn’t give me extra entrée on the side has a bigger. Please send it to put the extra orange chicken inside of the box and that if I wanted him to separate the meat out into another container from my box, he could do that used to acknowledge that he had served me less than he should have disgruntled. I paid the amount due for a bigger plane and left the store absent in selection end in food service.

Horrible experience! 2 staff memebers have issues with customers service. I asked Richard if he could pay for the person behind me food just to be kind. His response was to roll his eyes and give me attitude telling me "he doesn't know what he order"". He simply could just looked and I would have been on my way. I told him nevermind once he made an issue about it and also said that "his attitude wasnt needed whenever someone is trying to do something nice". His smart remark was to tell me to "cheer up". I let it go, but after waiting for 20 minutes for food that be was suppose to be in 10 minutes which still wasn't so I asked for a refund so I could go back to work. The manager name Jesus didn't want to give me a refund because "there was nothing wrong with the food". The issue is I never received any food and was going to be late for work. He still refused to give me my money back so I asked for corporates number and he refused to give that me also. I wasn't yelling or acting crazy I just wanted to leave with my money since I couldn't leave with the food since it wasn't ready yet. Horrible manager skills. Overall I had to leave without my food and no refund. The manager Jesus stole my money and had me leave without my food. I would not go back there.

This place is freaking clown show at its finest Run by a bunch of college kids who are literally only there for the paycheck. This location is a total highway robbery. Take the few extra minutes and Go to 41st Avenue Night and day difference. If I could give 0 stars I would.

My experience at this specific location was absolutely atrocious, due to the nasty attitude of the server named Richard. He had a very condescending tone and rude presence. The way he talks to customers is extremely unpleasant. Will not be going here again so long as someone like that is employed.

Isaac McKey

Average Panda express but when i ordered to go. THEY GAVE ME A CARD BOARD FORK. Not even plastic. I didn't know that cardboard made things taste this bad.

Russell

Richard is so rude talks down to everyone no customer service at all he should be fired i have been going for years and he's the same way every time will be calling corporate

Dryden Vos

My experience at this specific location was absolutely atrocious, due to the nasty attitude of the server named Richard. He had a very condescending tone and rude presence. The way he talks to customers is extremely unpleasant. Will not be going here again so long as someone like that is employed.

Eren Dogan

I gave this location multiple chances. The food wasn’t fresh almost every time. Just go to the Panda Express at Capitola.

Abhishek Gurung

I went to this location for just lunch during evening on june 18th. I told the worker i wanted two of the same plates. He also didn’t just forget the second plate but he even got the order wrong misplacing teriyaki chicken with orange chicken. He charged us for two peach lychee juice but he forgot to put the drinks. I got the drinks after I went back again and asked for it but the drink was really watery with very minimal flavors of peach and lychee i just felt like i was drinking flavored water. I recommend the panda express team to do some regular inspection in the drink and food recipes as the food were also not that good and focus more on customer service. And why is there only one employee attending the customer while there are several employees right there pretending to ignore the customer and trying to avoid eye contact.

Fran C

I’ve ordered at this location several times because it’s convenient. Each time, somehow I expect a different result. I always order through the app for pick up and have to wait 20 to 30 minutes to receive my food. Those waiting in line in the store receive their food before I do. The quality of the food is never fresh. The staff, especially the manager, have no interpersonal skills nor any training in customer relations. They are extremely discourteous and short tempered because of the lines and the wait to pick up order. Each time, I’ve had a negative experience with the manager who is quite prejudiced.

A. G. M.

The old white dude who charged up my order at 6pm on 2/22/25 was rude and gave horrible customer service. He told me there was no sauce even though I saw him give sauce to other customers. He giggled while pretending he couldn’t hear me because I wore a mask. He refused to bag my to-go order and refused to give fortune cookies for my order.

kaushik das

Took a look time to take order. It’s supposed to be fast food. I should not wait for 10 minutes while only few guests are present in the restaurant. Food was made also long time back. Lost all flavor and taste. Go to regular Chinese restaurant while you can wait for 10 minutes and will receive a decent food.